Will market liberalisation mean the end of state-owned railways? What opportunities can private sector competition offer? What are the framework conditions necessary for successful railway operation? Against the backdrop of the global financial and economic crisis, #rail2009 highlights issues that will be key for the rail and transport industry in years to come. The technical sponsors of #rail2009 have carefully developed and finalised the topics for the 3-day congress fair and its various conference forums. The outlines of the programme have now been approved by the recently formed advisory committee.

New: Three days dedicated to specific topics
Industry trends, mobility concepts and future technologies for passenger and freight transport on public roads and rails – #rail2009 focuses on answers and solutions for the industry’s most pressing problems. Under the motto “Transport. Traffic.Talks.”, the congress fair offers a clearly structured 3-day programme devoted to specific topics:
• Day 1 - “Mobility in Europe”: The top management of European rail operators and transport ministers from various countries come together to discuss strategies, prospects and framework conditions for a European liberalisation of the industry. Also discussed will be the location factor Mobility when it comes to competition among large cities, as well as Europe-wide solutions for regional transport in outlying regions.
• Day 2 - “Competition and the Market”: Regional rail operators, public sector officials and local carriers will have the opportunity to present their own vision of the future of bus and rail transport in separate forums.
• Day 3 -  “Innovation and the Future”: Here the focus will be on entrepreneurial initiatives and technological innovations, as well as on the junior staff issue and the career perspectives in the industry.

Interrelated content: congress and convention
The trade fair will accompany the focal subjects of the conference in a targeted manner. Thus, the trade fair will specifically deal with the topics discussed at the conference– e.g. environmentally friendly engine/propulsion technologies or noise reduction. In their trade fair exhibits and presentations many of the #rail2009 participants will make direct reference to the subject matter presented at the nine conference forums, in line with the event’s conception as a “congress fair”